


First Light

by MatchaMochi



Series: Bright as Noonlight [1]
Category: DC Animated Universe, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: M/M, Multi, also, bruce playin dat denial game so hard his future self is giving a face palm, dat future-kid AU no one asked for, its gonna be a series, its ok, probs shud be longer but well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-19
Updated: 2016-03-19
Packaged: 2018-05-27 16:22:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6291517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatchaMochi/pseuds/MatchaMochi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A moment of pause, she straightens her back and replies, “Dawn Kent,” floats down to the metal flooring, boots thumping, “Code name: Shadow Gleam,” she nods and adds, “Your daughter,”</p><p>Hal gives out an impressed, low, whistle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Light

**Author's Note:**

> Okay I promised myself I would one day type this and in contribution to the upcoming movie I am going to FUCKING WRITE THIS  
> -(and come on, every fandom needs a future-kid AU)  
> and I really hope you'll like my take on their future-child, that is, my OC. she is literally my darling,

Deep blue, not like the sea, but deeper. Like sapphires.

She stares down at him, face grim, and says:

“I’ve always thought you’ve looked better with glasses,”

In the corner of the universe, where the sun shines down on the planets and the darkness pulls everything in, the watchtower, for a quarter of a second, stops turning.

-

-

“Terry.”

“Yah?”

“My hand’s disappearing.”

“Uh,”

“Do you think-“

“Bruce’s already on the way,”

-

-

‘ _Things like this,’_ Hal thinks, ‘ _ALWAYS happens when things cool down, damn it-‘_  he brings a hand over his head and sighs heavily. Around him, the members of the Justice League regards the smoking black hole in the middle of the meeting room table with bored curiosity. Wonder Woman taps her fingers impatiently on her forearm, at the corner, he hears Aquaman grumbling about unfair work hours while in the middle of it all Batman and Superman stares at the burning embers with apprehension.

Someone at the back clears his throat, “So-“

The huge table collapses with a sudden crash, making the metal screech and the billowing smoke thicker. They quickly back away from the wreckage, Batman eyeing it warily while he stalks around it. A figure shifts into view, the shadow darkening. The acrid stench of heated metal like ozone and smoke washes over them and the heat coming from the centre was unbearable, just like the sudden burst of light that had assaulted them several seconds before. Puddles of molten metal spills out of the chaos, and through the entire screeching, creaking din, Clark lifts his head up to the approaching figure when he starts to hear footsteps.

It was headed towards him.

The first thing he sees is her clothes, slim fitted but built like an armour, the upper part is covered up to her neck, her hands and feet are protected with a dark, red kind of metal he does not recognise and the others are black. She does not wear a mask, which was often acquainted to future heroes or random planets representatives that decides to visit them out of nowhere, (it occurs usually after he starts to think about visiting Hawaii for a while,) this is thirty minutes before, in the middle of a meeting when the table decided to explode on itself,) etched at her chest, was the red markings of the House of El. Superman grits his teeth.

Another one from his dead planet, he thinks. Or another alternate universe where it never _was_ a dead planet. The symbol though, so closely related to his, reminds him that the past doesn’t let go of its sharp claws on you that easily, (and in this case, he feels it tugging his cape.)

After, when the smoke clears and she stares at him with a grave look, he notices her face. It’s built like granite, her jaw and cheekbones sharp with her mouth in a thin line and a skin pale like white chalk. She has nothing of the softness he imagined to be accustomed with young women, and she is also that. Young. Barely out of her teenage years if he were to guess. Her hair is dark and curls around her ears, and her eyes-

Oh.

They are silent, the sound of sizzling metal and sparks a white noise compared to the surprise they feel when she slowly floats up to Superman and bends down to him, face to face. Beside him, Batman is still, and his eyes narrows.

She comments about his glasses and he asks her, voice steady, “Who are you?”

A moment of pause, she straightens her back and replies, “Dawn Kent,” floats down to the metal flooring, boots thumping, “Code name: Shadow Gleam,” she nods and adds, “Your daughter,”

Hal gives out an impressed, low, whistle.

-

-

“Do you feel anything?”

“I. Well, no. Not exactly, it’s like a phantom feeling, like I _know_ it’s there but I also know it’s _not.”_

“….”

“Bruce?”

“It is spreading.”

“Ah…”

-

-

It’s not Lois Lane that much he can tell. Clark though, has his hands over his fingers, where a marriage ring once sat, taken place, and eventually removed. They had parted at peaceful terms, realising that they could never really be any more than friends.

No one knows this-

Except for Bruce. He also knows that Clark doesn’t care if others finds out, if they judged him. He knows that Clark hates it when others gets shit thrown at them even if it was their fault but doesn’t bat an eye when he gets it without any evidence. Knows that he loves the sound of planes soaring through the skies because it makes him less alone, knows that he prefers strawberry over cherry when he eats any ice-cream with his ridiculous sweet tooth, knows the exact blue gradient of his eyes and the tone of his skin.

That is how he knows it isn’t Lois.

Batman eyes her warily, and admits that he sees Clark in her too. ‘Dawn’ was it? She had his jaw, sharp and defined, her steely blue eyes reminding Bruce of the look he gets the first few times he meets Superman.

Right now it is aimed at her father, or so she claimed him to be. ‘ _Time travel?’_ probable, but the idea sends spikes and needles in his chest, makes it tight with the smiling face of an unknown woman holding Clarks hand in hers. An alternate universe isn’t any less painful but he really shouldn’t expect better.

Superman is staring at her in shock, and he opens his mouth, closes it, opens it again.

Batman steps in, flashing an annoyed look at Clark, “From where?” she snaps her head to face him, and he notices that too, her posture is guarded thought her stance radiates confidence.

“The future.”

Well then.

She walks closer ignoring the bewildered looks of the Justice league. Glances at both of them before looking back at Clark, “Can we talk in private?”

He takes a moment to recollect himself, and in his head it goes, ‘ _My daughter from the future, yes, of course,’_ before sighing, “By all means,” smiles awkwardly at her and turns around, “this way,”

They leave, relieved to be called off. On the way out, Bruce glances at their retreating backs, he doesn’t blink. He gulps slowly and turns around, heads for Gotham.

At the other side of the room, Barry slings his arm out over Hals shoulders and laughs, “At least it wasn’t another intergalactic, face-sucking, octopus-“

“ _Don’t remind me-“_

_-_

_-_

“It’s _time,”_

“What?”

“Do you see the shadows under your arms? How it seems like its shrinking?”

“Sometimes it feels like I have baby hands.”

“Exactly. Someone, _something_ before this, _fucked up-“_

“How do you know it’s not the universe?”

“Never said it wasn’t.”

-

-

He chooses their Room. ‘Their’ as in him, Batman and Wonder Woman. It’s safe and comfy, perhaps the only room in the entire watchtower that wasn’t lined up with glass panes and metal floorings. It’s a secret, the others don’t know. What they _do_ know is the small, compact, little basement underneath the watchtower which they think is a secret but; honestly, it’s where they store all their favourite wine beverages. A secret within a secret.  So it also has security measures, soundproofed walls, DNA scans, the whole package.

Clark remembers Batman’s silent smirk when he tells Diana about it, and they also couldn’t help but smile in return. The room was exactly designed to fit them. The main interior being a Victorian styled living room with an automatic heater disguised as a fireplace because they both know Diana has an inkling of longing for warm carpets and soft light. Bookshelves crowded with books they all would read from Clark’s fantasy, Diana’s thrillers and Bruce’s reports and biographies, at the corners.

And a small built kitchen at the back when Superman feels like spicing up a dish or two. Also. Cape hooks. (So you see why they wouldn’t want anyone to know-)

He can’t explain it. He does not know why he is just striding in with someone he barely knows, who claims to be his daughter of all things, ( _Conner_ had been enough, _god-)._ Was it a sense of protectiveness? The cold slither of guilt at his back denies that though, it was more as if he wanted to hide, to cover. To deny.

Dawn Kent treads through the room, making her way through the clutter or weapons and books, not even giving the curious green glow of Bruce’s side experimentations a single glance, as if she has been there a hundred times before. Has she? He doubts it, even Bruce does not let any of his in here. She snatches a pie off the counter before shuffling down on one of the crimson sofas near the hearth. After he takes off his cape he blinks before nodding to her, “You like apple pie?”

She nods once, sharp, “Granny’s pies are much better.” She says softly, still munching.

And he needs a moment before settling down on the chair across from her. Right. Of course. No one could beat his mother’s pie making skills. Aha.

These are the things he collected thus far; she has his face, but not his eyes. He sees her nudging the three ton wooden sofa to the side so her abilities are also a check. Her dark hair could be his but that’s just it. Unless Luthor somehow found a way to clone him into another gender he can’t find any other reason-

“You don’t believe me.”

She’s staring at him again, arms folded, eyes steely and challenging. He presses his fingers to his temple, “I-“ before he sighs, “Are you from _my_ time?” not from another one? Not where his marriage is not in shambles?

She brushes off the crumbs from her hands before answering, and says it all bluntly, her eyes never leaving his, “You are, Clark Kent. You work at the Daily Planet and your constant companion over there is Lois Lane. You married her once but it never worked out. You are, Superman. Defender of Metropolis and selfless to a fault. You often work with Batman and the Justice League, and,” she pauses and sees that what she has said hasn’t pried him from his doubt. It was all too general, “And,” she continues, “you have never once thought it was her fault. You could never work things out with Conner because you had a silly notion that a clone is not the same as being blood related. You often visit the mansion though you don’t know why. You greet Bruce Wayne shyly and Batman proudly, though you don’t know why, you-“

“Enough.”

He hangs his head, jaw tight.

“Why have you come to the past?”

With this, Dawn seems to hunch over herself before looking back, rubbing her hands together, “I am,” she sighs, “I am dying.”

-

-

“It hurts…”

“Your arms?”

“No, at my chest. It feels….tight.”

“Its fine Dawn, I’ll figure it out.”

“I know. You always do,”

-

-

The light from the fireplace is artificial. It’s warm, orange-red glow makes her pale skin a little more dark and soft, tanned, maybe if she spent more time outside. Her deep blue eyes turn a shade of ember, and she looks away from him to the light.

“Bruce-“ she shakes her head, “Batman made it possible for me to come here after we tried to identify the source of the loophole hanging around me,”

“Loophole?”  

She shrugs, “An exception to a rule, the rule now being the rules of the universe,” he sense her heart rate elevating, “I am being overwritten,” her voice is quiet and shaky as she continues, “ _erased.”_

“My existence is slowly being disintegrated; _god is telling me I should not have existed.”_

There was a moment of pause. She tries to recollect herself from her once panicked state, squeezing her hands to a tight fist.

“Dad,” Clark gets a surprised jolt from that, all this time she had talked to him formally, as if to a stranger. Though he could imagine why, he was not the same person that has raised her, at least, not yet. But she watches him now, her tone pleading, “This timeline right now, Batman said it was ‘crucial’. He says I could change things here.” she looks down, “Said if any, this was the reason I was ever born.”

Clark leans back on the straight wooden chair before taking it all in, his face is puzzled when he asks her, “Well, why didn’t you ask Batman?”

And she smiles softly at him for the first time, distaste painted on the sides,

“Bruce also told me if I did _that_ I might as well go back,”

-

-

“He won’t listen to you,”

“But _why-“_

“Dani, just trust me on this alright? If he knows the truth he will reject everything all together,”

“ _You….!”_

“I’m very sorry sweetheart, but I was never a good man.”

-

-

He hands her a glass of thick vodka, from Bruce’s stock after she tells him that its fine and ‘ _yes, I am over twenty, thank you dad,’_  quips him before he could comment on her, ‘ _yes you always kept a close eye on me, no, I don’t usually drink this much often,’_  

“Does it make you drunk?” Clark has tried drinking in large doses before, though his alien physique seems to undermine the workings of the alcohol before it could reach his brain.

She shrugs, “If it’s strong,” takes another shot, “and if I feel like shit,” she murmurs.

It’ll be midnight by the time he reaches metropolis, the only lookout available in the room being the window shaped mirror beside the fireplace built with bricks. They see the stars out of it, the sun a small shimmer at the sides of the deep blackness.

“How are you going to go back?” he asks her slowly. She takes a while to answer back. She leans back while idly scratching the back of her neck, “I’m not.”

“You..?”

She smiles again, now, a little more softly, “I started dying before I even came here”, her red gloved hand goes over the front of her neck, “Batman says it’s too late for me, but not too late for a chance of rebirth.” She hooks her index finger and digs them in her turtle necked uniform, “Me? I’ll disappear. But the me in this timeline? Born again, if things goes fine,” she pulls, “You’ll be able to build a new future. Hopefully, it’ll be the same as my present, so maybe not that new.”

Nothing is there. He expects to see her collarbone with her deathly pale skin. He did not expect to see the huge hollow of nothingness staring back at him blankly. Her flesh ends in a blurry, jagged line from her neck. She has no body.

Dawn’s hands are trembling as she lets the fabric cover her again. And despite everything Clark feels a rush of affection and sorrow for this girl that has come so far for a chance to live. He accidentally knocks the chair over as he hurries over her, enveloping her in a tight embrace.

She freezes at first, before melting over and placing her arms slowly over her father’s neck, “It’s fine dad, I’ll see you again,” Clarks voice is muffled, his hands stroking her short hair, “and your mother?”

“Mother?”

She pulls away, staring at him oddly, “Dad…” she frowns, “You really don’t know do you?”

“Wha-“

She glares at him, and somehow it feels familiar, the simmering rage burning off the edges, making her eyes flash and her presence filling the room. He imagines a cloak billowing from under her,

“ _What kind of IDIOTS-“_

_-_

_-_

“Father, does it hurt? When you stop living?”

“Dani, it’s fine. I won’t let you disappear,”

“But I will anyway, in the end.”

“Dawn Martha Wayne-Kent. Me, Clark, and yes, also Terry, will do everything in our power to make sure you come back.”

“…Thank you.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> i'm crossing my fingers and awaiting for the movie to not suck tbh but well, if it does we'd always have Ben and Henry ;)  
> (probs gonna update really late, i keep failing my driving test goddd)
> 
> And opnions and comments are always appreciated!! ^^


End file.
